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Luke Shaw admits he feared unusual injury would rule him out of Euro 2020

By Jamie Spencer

Luke Shaw was worried a wrist injury would rule him out Euro 2020
Luke Shaw was worried a wrist injury would rule him out Euro 2020 / Visionhaus/Getty Images
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Manchester United defender Luke Shaw has admitted that he was worried an unusual injury suffered during last month’s Europa League final against Villarreal could cost him his place with England at Euro 2020.

While Harry Maguire has been nursing ankle ligament damage that forced him to miss England’s opening game against Croatia, Shaw has also had a ligament problem…but in his wrist.

Shaw was concerned at one point he might need surgery on his wrist to repair the damage, especially after his case had to be referred to a specialist. Having to go under the knife would have ended his dream of going to the European Championship.

But even though he didn't need surgery and has taken his place in the final Three Lions squad, Shaw has still been seen wearing protective strapping on his left wrist in training sessions and when he faced Romania in the final warm-up game.

Luke Shaw
Shaw has had his wrist bandaged up since the end of the club season / Visionhaus/Getty Images

“At one point I was [worried] because when I was getting treatment at the club I had the MRI scan and whatnot,” Shaw explained to talkSPORT.

“The doc looked at it but couldn’t really see where the main ligament was. He had to send it to a specialist which worried me because I thought ‘what if it’s the bad one? I might need an operation…’

“I was a little bit panicky but the next day I got the results and it wasn’t as bad as they thought.”

Shaw rediscovered his best form for United in 2020/21, playing more than 30 Premier League games for the first time since he traded Southampton for Old Trafford in 2014. He also made 47 appearances in all competitions, the most he has ever played in a single season to date.

Luke Shaw
Shaw was voted Man Utd players' player of the year ahead of Bruno Fernandes / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images

The left-back was voted United players’ player of the year by his teammates and played his way back into the England squad, making his first international appearances this year since 2018. Euro 2020 is the first time he has been named in an England tournament squad since 2014.

“At the start of this season, I sat down with my girlfriend and had a talk about the coming season and what my realistic targets were,” Shaw explained.

“The club is the most important thing during the season but one of my main targets was trying to get back into the England fold. It wasn’t whether I play or not it was just to be involved in the squad again. I really missed that during the time I was out of the squad. I’ve missed it a lot.”

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